Nsa Gill, Calabar
Traditional rulers, religious and other community stakeholders in Cross River have made a commitment to ensure all barbaric cultures that infringe on the rights of women, girls and children are removed from the state.
They also agreed to name, shame and report to the police perpetrators of all forms of violence against women, girls, and children.
These were among the resolutions reached after dialogue meetings to end violence against women, girls and children in Calabar the state capital as well as in Obanliku Civic center, Ranch Road, Sankwala.
The meeting was organised by the Cross River State Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with National Orientation Agency with support from EU-UN Spotlight Initiative.
Coordinator of Spotlight Initiative in Cross River and Ebonyi State, Mr. Olorunjuwon Oloruntoba, noted the stakeholders were brought together to have them contribute their quota towards the drive to end all forms of violence against women and the Girl-child in the focus areas of Cross River State.
In Calabar, the dialogue reached a 14-point communiqué, which resolved on a number of issues including a review of bride price, discouragement of underage marriages; branding of children as witches and wizards by religious groups, traditional groups and the society at large should be prohibited; And that on women battering, a strong law should be put in place as well as ensuring the existing one is adequately enforced with a condition that conviction should be without the option of fine.
At Obanliku local government area with the attendance of representatives from various clans and villages and the Paramount Ruler, who was represented by Chief Ukama Gabriel, they made a commitment to speak with all the chiefs in order to end all barbaric cultures that infringe on the rights of women, girls, and children.
The communiqué reads in parts” “We, the people of Obanliku acknowledge the supremacy of the law over our culture and; we agree to subject our culture to the provisions of the law.”
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“Having raised and deliberated on the different issues that affect our various communities, we agree to the following; “We condemn the culture of money woman (child marriage). We condemn widowhood inheritance.
“We agree as a people to support girl child education. We agree to name, shame, and report to the police perpetrators of all forms of violence against women, girls, and children. We agree to allow the voice of girls and women to be heard in the processes of decision making.”
The communiqués in Calabar and in Obanliku were signed by the various representatives that made up the communiqué drafting committee.
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